The bipartisan supported Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act, H.R. 4174, passed the House by voice vote on Nov. 15, 2017. Sponsored by Speaker Ryan, the bill incorporates some of the recommendations the White House’s Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking made in September and absorbs elements of the Open, Public, Electronic and Necessary Government Data Act, or the OPEN Government Data Act, sponsored by Reps. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., and Blake Farenthold, R-Texas., and Sens. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii., and Ben Sasse, R-Neb. Quoting from H. Rept. 115-411:

H.R. 4174, the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2017, advances the evidence building functions in the Federal government by improving access to data and expanding evaluation capacity. The bill incorporates H.R. 1770, the OPEN Government Data Act, in titles I and II, which expand public access to Federal data assets and make information about Federal data assets publicly available in a comprehensive, searchable inventory. H.R. 4174 improves data management practices by codifying the Chief Data Officer position and requiring the new position to coordinate the agency’s data management functions. H.R. 4174 also establishes the position of Chief Evaluation Officer, which is responsible for coordinating evidence-building activities across the agency and leading the agency’s evidence-building strategic planning. The bill further expands access to data by establishing a secure process for accessing nonpublic data assets for the purpose of evidence-building.

Summary of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act

Title I, Federal Evidence-Building Activities

Requires federal agencies to submit an evidence-building plan, which will be consolidated into one government-wide plan by the Office of Management and Budget

Requires federal agencies to appoint/designate a Chief Evaluation Officer to coordinate evidence-building activities within the agency Establishes an advisory committee on data for evidence building

Disclaimer

Just in case you don't get it: The views expressed are solely those of the blog post author and should not be attributed to anyone else, meaning they do not necessarily represent the views of any organization that the post author is affiliated with or with the views of any other author who publishes on this blog.